Halo: The Discovery
by Synthetico
Summary: A Covenant strike force goes to collect a key from an ancient forerunner facility, but find much more than they bargained for


The images on the screen stirred and came into focus. The huge abandoned mining facility was looming over the drop ship. "When we joined the covenant we took an oath!" the special operations leader, Sesa 'Vadumee yelled above the roar of the engines.

"According to our station, all without exception!" his elites replied as one "On the blood of our fathers, on the blood of our sons, we swore to uphold to covenant!"

"Even to our dying breath!" "Brothers, today we go to quell this infestation! These parasites have taken a holy relic of our forefathers from us! We will cut into the heart of this infestation, Retrieve the key that resides inside, and burn any flood that stand in our way! The roar that went up almost drowned out the engines, and with that, the signal turned green. "Go!"

Deep inside the station, something ancient stirred. After eons of waiting, the day had come when it's never ending hunger, would finally end. The pathetic covenant that marched towards its halls with thoughts of glory, of salvation. But they would find no victory in this facility.

Four grunts ran towards to opening doors, just as an elite had finished overriding its security systems. "Engage active camouflage" whispered the spec ops leader. "Reveal yourselves only once you have the enemy within range." The members of his squad started to fade as their cloaks came online. Suddenly the second set of doors slid open.

"Move" The squad advanced, alert to every sound. Down one ramp way, around another, into a new room. The opaque floor was spread out underneath, them and 'Vadumee, could see second squad beneath him. Suddenly an uproar came from beneath them. A hideous mixture of screams and panic and roars. Plasma shots echoed in the hall beneath them. "Second squad what is your situation?! Come in second squad!" Suddenly, a massive grey green tentacle smashed up through the glass, sending the grunts flying. It flailed around, searching for a victim. "Move! Continue with the mission! We will NOT keep the hierarchs waiting!" yelled 'Vadumee, his squad members following him through the doors at the far end.

The new hall that the squad entered was a wide, dimly lit one. "Spread out."

The walls were splattered with a sticky, dark green ichor, and on the floor lay a disgustingly rotted body of an elite. "What kind of monster could do such a thing? And so quickly too? Whatever that thing was only killed second squad a few minutes ago." Asked one of the elites, sniffing at the carcass and stepping back immediately. "And that smell is familiar." "Whatever it…" 'Vadumee stopped talking abruptly. 6 metal canisters suddenly slowly slid up from holes in the floor. The lids of each parted, and then slid off the top with a clang to the floor. A gurgling, squelching sound came from inside each one. "Stand firm, the flood is upon us!" And with that, thousands of small parasites with bloated heads and small spiky tentacles erupted from the canisters, and swarmed towards the squad. "Open fire!" The squads plasma rifles poured shot after shot into the swarm approaching them, and hundreds of the infection forms exploded with small pops.

Some of the stragglers scuttled toward the dead bodies, and started burrowing into the chests of them. 'Vasumee drew his power sword and started hacking at the flood that was rushing at towards him. His blade easily cleaved through the fragile sacks of air that were the parasites heads. Their putrid green blood splattered against his white armour. He paused. Had one of the bodies just moved? A deep growling noise came from inside the body. It pulled itself to it's feet, looked at him, as ran at him growling and dribbling. "Fall back! Fall back to the docks!" 'Vasumee looked around for rest of the members of his squad, but they had already run. "Cowards! I can deal with this outbreak myself!" The spec ops leader roared as he ripped apart dead elite after dead elite. He began to run, run blindly away from the slaughter, not knowing where he went, not caring. He felt something snatch around his ankle, dragging him back, back…


End file.
